Toy helicopter



May 24, 1960 c. H. vLAcHos 2,937,473

TOY HELICOPTER Filed March 2; 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 C. H. VLACHOS TOY HELICOPTER May 24, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 2, 1956 E .a ww

@6 2M em m May 24, 1960 c. H. vLAcHos 2,937,473

TOY HELICOPTER Filed March 2, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 TOY HELICQITER Constantinos H. Viachos, R0. Box 448, Ben Franklin Station, Washington, D.C.

Filed Mar. 2, 1956, Ser. No. 569,092

11 Claims. (Cl. 45m-75) This invention relates to toys and has particular relation to aerial toys. l

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an improved aerial toy.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved aerial toy wherein a' propeller is Voperated by compressed air. l

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved aerial toy having a pro'peller with jet openings in the trailing edges of the propeller blades.

Another and further object of the invention is the provision of an improved aerial toy wherein there is a body member including a bellows having internal tension springs which serve to compress air to drive a mo'tor connected toa propeller. l

Another and still furtherobject of the invention is the provision of an improved aerial toy having two propeller-s,

nieswtes Pim@ one turning in one direction and ano'ther turning in the 'i opposite direction.

Still another object of the invention is theV provision of an improved aerial toy wherein there is a propeller on the top and another on the bottom of an expansiblebody portion having an air compressor chamber to provide l VReferring to' the drawing wherein l have illustrated embodiments of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of one'form of my invention. f

Fig. 2 is a top plan Fig. ll.

- Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig 4 is a sectional viewV o'n the line 4--4 of'Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a rotated vertical sectional viewtaken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of my invention.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the construction shown on Fig. 6... i f

Referring to Figs. l to 5 o'f the drawing, 19 indicates the body member of the toy. The body member is constructed of folds of flexible material providing a bellows which forms an expandingand contracting air compressor chamber.

At one end the body member 19 is provided with a head 2@ which serves as the stato'r of a tiuid pressure or air driven motor. A plate 20c acts as a closure member for the opposite end of the -body member. Securedto the head member 20 and to the plate 20c and extending therebetween within the body member 19 are coil tension View of my invention shown on springs 21 which normally tend to pull the head and tail ice outside the chamber. The ball 22a provides the actual l checking action.

The head 20, which provides the stator for the motor, is provided with a bored-out portion and has near its upper end a threaded po'rtion 20d which receives a similarly threaded plug 23. 'Ihis plug 23 is providedv with/a bore 23y having an elliptical cross section for a purpose to be described.

Within the bore 23) is a cylindrical rotor 24 which is provided with slots cut substantially in the plane passing through the center of the rotor. These are designated as the slots 24a. The cylindrical portion of therotor is of a size to fit the small dimension of the elliptical bore 23;. These slots 24a have vanes or blades 25 slidably mounted therein and of a length equal to the length of the elliptical cylinder.r

The lower end of the elliptical bore is closed by a flange Y 24p which rotates with and as a part of the rotor V24. Adjacent the inner ends of the slots 24a are openings 24m which connect the slots with the cut away portion 24e. This cut away portion 24:.` connects with the pressure chamber 20]c which communicates with the space within the chamber of the body member 19. When the pressure is greater in the chamber within the mainbody member 19, than in the chamber 20f, the air will ow into the inner spaces behind the vanes 25 and force the latter outwardly -against the Wall of the elliptical cylinder.

As shown in Fig. 5, a space 20d is provided which connects to the chamber 2701i This space 20d has openings which register with the openings 23d in the plug 23, and provide for the admission of air into'the elliptical cylinder. There are two such openings which are oppositely ydisposed and extend parallel to the axis o'f the rotor.

At another level, preferably above, and lat suitable angles of about from the passages 23d arevthe outlets 23f which act as the exhausts for the motor. These exhaust passages are opposite in position and are connected with the end passages 24a of the duct 24j which in turn is lconnected to' the ducts 26a and the jet outlets 26b in the trailing edges of the propeller blades 26.

'I'he seal between the shaft 24e and the plug 23 is a ring 24x which eiectively seals the joint and provides a lubricant between the parts.

In order to give direction to the toy Vas a whole, I provide guiding vanes 30. These guiding vanes are inclined or screw shaped to counter the tendency of the body 19 to turn in a backward direction as a reaction to the forward movement of the propeller 26. The angle of `the vanes 30 would depend upon the conditions in the particular construction. v

In operation, the head 20 and plate 20c would be pulled apart, stretching the springs 21 to their limit. During this operation, the check valve 22 would permit the entrance of air into the chamber within the body 19. On release of the plate 20c, the springs 21 pull the plate 20c toward the head 20 to compress the air and force it past the check valve 20g, through the chamber 20f as shownf in Fig. 5. f

The air under pressure would enter the elliptical cylinder at 23d (Fig. 3) and with the pressure behindl the vanes 25, there would be an effective sealbetween the vane 25 and the wall of the elliptical cylinder. With the rotation of the vanes and rotor as the result of air pressure applied to the vanes they would be pressed out wardly an increasing distance and remain in contact with the wall of the cylinder. About the time when the vanes reach their outermost limits they will pass the exhaust openings 23j. The exhaust air passes through the passage 241, the passages 26a and is emitted Vfrom the jets 26h. The propeller is subjected to two forces, the turning forces of the rotor and they jet action on ,the outside air at the jets. This causes a reaction on the answers 3 stator but on releasing the toy for ight, the reaction of the guiding vanes 30 tends to prevent rotation of the body 19 and to keep the toy in ight.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, there are two head members 119 and 119a secured together by the main body member 120 of bellows construction. The bellows 120 is composed of vari-sized folds 12041 which construction assists in the collapsing operation when the toy is in flight.

Springs 121 are tension springs and tend to draw the heads together.

In order to admit air to the interior of the main body of the toy, I provide a check valve 122 having a check ball 122a. As the two heads 119 and 119a are drawn apart, the entry of air to the interior of the body member 120 is facilitated. When the heads 119 and 119a are permitted to approach each other, the valve 122a will stop the movement of lair and the motor will be supplied with air under pressure as will presently be described.

The head members 119 and 119a are identical so that a description of one motor will serve as a description of both.

A plug 123, which together with the head member 119 serves as a stator, is secured in a bore in the head member 119 by the screw thread portion 120d. The interior of the plug 123 has an elliptical bore similar to the bore 23y already described.

At the inside of the head members 119 and 119a are placed check valves 120g similar in construction and operation to the check valve 20g already described.

The. small chamber 120f communicates with the passage controlled by the check valve 120g and connects with the passages 124e and 124:1 and the rear spaces 124b of the vanes 125. These vanes 125 are forced outwardly during operation as already described for the vanes 25.

The outlets or exhaust passages 123f are provided to permit the exhaust air to escape through the passages 124a, 1241, 126a and the jet openings 126b in the trailing edges of the propeller blades 126 to the'open air, as explained for the escape of the air through the jets 2Gb. As the construction and operation of the motors are the same for this form of the invention as for the form disclosed in Figs. l to 5, it is believed that further description is unnecessary. Moreover, the details of the motor are not a part of the invention per se.

In this form of the invention, there are provided two propellers-a puller at the top and a pusher at the bottom. These propellers rotate in opposite directions to take care of and neutralize the reactions from the two propellers,

yIn order to give direction and prevent tumbling, guiding vanes 130 are provided. These guiding vanes are preferably attached to the outer edges of the large fold of the main body member 120 and are three or four in number. These should be spaced equally around the circumference and should preferably be mostly on the lower side or, in other words, below the center of gravity, to give a trailing effect.

When it is desired to cause the toy to y, the heads 119 and 119n are drawn apart to the limit of the folds of `the main body member 120. This action fills the chamber within the main body member with air, through the check valve 12251. On release the check valve 122a will close and the valves 120g adjacent the motors will open and air will flow to the motors to drive the same. The toy is then released for flight. It may be found to be necessary to have the small opening to the upper check valve slightly larger than the corresponding opening to the lower check valve 120g. This would give the upper propeller a slightly greater speed than the speed of the lower propeller.

The material of this invention may be any light material as, for example, some of the light stable plastics.

The general type of motor is shown in the patent to Rice, 2,103,180.

While embodiments of my invention have been disclosed in detail it is to be understood that the disclosure is merely illustrative and that modications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and within its scope as claimed.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A self-propelled aerial toy comprising a hollow tubular body open at opposite ends and formed of flexible air impervious material having spaced transverse folds to provide a bellows, a head member closing one end of said body, an air operated motor mounted on said head member and having a propeller shaft projecting axially of said body, a propeller fixed to said shaft, an air inlet to said motor communicating with the interior of said body, a check valve in said air inlet, an exhaust outlet on said motor communicating with an axial passage in said shaft, a passage in each blade of said propeller terminating in a jet opening in the trailing edge of each blade adjacent the tip and communicating with the passage in said shaft, a plate closing the opposite end of said body, an air supply passage in said plate communicating with the interior of said body, a check valve in said air supply passage, tension spring means connecting said head member and said plate to collapse said bellows and compress the air within said body to drive said motor and propeller and inclined guide vanes on said body `to stabilize the flight of said toy and counteract the torque of said motor and propeller.

2. A self-propelled aerial toy comprising a hollow tubular body open at opposite ends and formed of flexible air impervious material having spaced transverse folds to provide a bellows, a head member closing one end of said body, an air operated motor mounted on said head member and having a propeller shaft projecting axially of said body, a propeller fixed to said shaft, an air inlet to said motor communicating with the interior of said body, a check valve in said air inlet, an exhaust outlet on said motor communicating with an axial passage in said shaft, a passage in each blade of said propeller terminating in a jet opening in the trailing edge of each blade adjacent the tip and communicating with the passage in said shaft, a plate closing the opposite end of said body, an air supply passage in said plate communicating with the interior of said body, a check valve in said air supply passage, tension spring means connecting said head member and said plate to collapse said bellows and compress the air within said body to drive said motor and propeller and means on said body to stabilize the ight of said toy and counteract the torque of said motor and propeller.

3. A self-propelled aerial toy comprising a hollow tubular body open at opposite ends and formed of flexible air impervious material having spaced transverse folds to provide a bellows, a head member closing one end of said body, an air operated motor mounted on said head member and having a propeller shaft projecting axially of said body, a propeller xed to said shaft, an air inlet to said motor communicating with the interior of said body, a check valve in said air inlet, an exhaust outlet on said motor, a plate closing the opposite end of said body, an air supply passage in said plate communicating with the interior of said body, a check valve in said air supply passage, tension spring means connecting said head member and said plate to collapse said bellows and compress the air within said body to drive said motor and propeller and means on said body to stabilize the flight of said toy and counteract the torque of said motor and propeller.

4. A self-propelled aerial toy comprising a hollow tubular body open at opposite ends and formed of flexible air impervious material having spaced transverse folds to provide a bellows, a head member closing one end of said body, an air operated motor mounted on said head member and having a propeller shaft projecting axially of said body, a propeller fixed to said shaft, an air inlet to said motor communicating with the interior of said body, a check valve in said air inlet, an exhaust outlet on said motor, a closure for the opposite end of said body, an air supply passage in said closure communicating with the interior of said body, a check valve in said air supply passage, tension springs connecting said head member and said closure to collapse said bellows and compress the air within said body to drive said motor and propeller and means on said body to stabilize the flight of said toy and counteract the torque of said motor and propeller.

5. A self-propelled aerial toy comprising a hollow tubular body open at opposite ends and formed of exible air impervious material having spaced transverse folds to provide a bellows, a head member closing one end of said body, an air operated motor mounted on said head member and having a propeller shaft projecting axially of said body, a propeller fixed to said shaft, an air inlet to said motor communicating with the interior of said body, an exhaust outlet on said motor, a closure for the opposite end of said body, an air supply passage communicating with the interior of said body, a check valve in said air supply passage, tension spring means connecting said head member and said closure to collapse said bellows and compress the air within said body to drive said motor and propeller and means on said body to stabilize the ight of said toy and counteract the torque of said motor and propeller.

6. A self-propelled aerial toy comprising a hollow tubular body open at opposite ends and formed of flexible air impervious material having spaced transverse folds to provide a bellows, a head member closing one end of said body, an air operated motor mounted on said head member and having a propeller shaft projecting axially of said body, a propeller fixed to said shaft, an air inlet to said motor communicating with the interior of said body, a check valve in said air inlet, an exhaust outlet on said motor communicating with an axial passage in said shaft, a passage in each blade of said propeller terminating in a jet opening in a trailing edge of each blade adjacent the tip and communicating with the passage in said shaft, a second head member closing the opposite end of said body, a second air operated motor mounted on said second head member and having a propeller shaft projecting axially of said body, a second propeller fixed to said last named shaft, an air inlet to said second motor communicating with the interior of said body, a check valve in said last named air inlet, an exhaust outlet on said second motor communicating with an axial passage in said last named shaft, a passage in each blade of said second propeller terminating in a jet opening in the trailing edge of each blade adjacent the 4tip and communicating with the passage in said last named shaft, an air supply passage in said second head communicating with the interior of said body, a check valve in said air supply passage, tension spring means connecting said head members to collapse said bellows and compress the air within said body to drive said motors and propellers, and guide vanes on said body to stabilize the flight of said toy.

7. A self-propelled aerial toy comprising a hollow tubular body open at opposite ends and formed of flexible air impervious material having spaced transverse folds to provide a bellows, a head member closing one end of said body, an air operated motor mounted on said head member and having a propeller shaft projecting axially of said body, a propeller fixed to said shaft, an air inlet to said motor communicating with the interior of said body, a check valve in said air inlet, an exhaust outlet on said motor, a second head member closing the opposite end of said body, a second air operated motor mounted on said second head member and having a propeller shaft projecting axially of said body, a second propeller fixed to said last named shaft, an air inletto said secondmotor communicating with the interior Vof said body, a check valve in said last named air inlet, an

exhaust outlet on said second motor, an air supply pas- Y sagein said second head communicating with the interior of said body, a check valve in said air supply passage, tension spring means connecting said head members to collapse said bellows and compress the air within said body to drive said motors and propellers, and means on said body to stabilize the Hight of said toy. l

8. A self-propelled aerial toy comprising a hollow tubular body open at opposite ends and formed of flexible air impervious material having spaced transverse folds to provide a bellows, a head member closing one end of said body, an air operated motor mounted on said head member and having a propeller shaft projecting axially of said body, a propeller fixed to said shaft, an air inlet to said motor communicating with the interior of said body, an exhaust outlet on said motor, a second head member closing the opposite end of said body, a second air operated motor mounted on said second head member and having a propeller shaft projecting axially of said body, a second propeller fixed to said last named shaft, anair inlet to said second motor communicating with the interior of said body, an air supply passage in said second head communicating with the interior of said body, a check valve in said air supply passage, tension spring means connecting said head members to collapse said bellows and compress the air within said body to drive said motors and propellers, and means on said body to stabilize the flight of said toy.

9. A self-propelled aerial toy comprising a hollow tubular body open at opposite ends and formed of fiexible air impervious material having spaced transverse folds to provide a bellows, a head member closing one end of said body, an air operated motor mounted on said head member and having a propeller shaft projecting axially of said body, a propeller fixed to said shaft, an air inlet to said motor communicating with the interior of said body, an exhaust outlet on said motor, a second head member closingrthe opposite end of said body, a second air operated motor mounted on said second headvmember and having a propeller shaft projecting axially of said body, a second propeller fixed to said last named shaft, an air inlet to said second motor communicating with the interior of said body, an air supply passage communicating withthe interior of said body, a check valve in said air supply passage, tension spring means connecting said head members to collapse said bellows and compress the air within said body to drive said motors and propellers, and means on said body to stabilize vthe flight of said toy.

10. A self-propelled aerial toy comprising a hollow tubular body open at opposite ends and formed of flexible a1r 'impervious material having spaced transverse folds to provide a bellows, a head member closing one end of said body, an air operated motor mounted on said head 4 member and having a propeller shaft projecting axially of said body, a propeller fixed to said shaft, an air inlet to said motor communicating with the interior of said body, an exhaust outlet on said motor, a second head member closing the opposite end of said body, a second air operated motor mounted on said second head member and having a propeller shaft projecting axially of said body, a second propeller fixed to said last named shaft, an air inlet to said second motor communicating with the interior of said body, tension spring means connecting said head members to collapse said bellows and compress the air within said body to drive said motors and propellers, and means onsaid body to stablize' the flight of said toy.

11. A self-propelled Iaerial toy comprising a hollow tubular body open at opposite ends and formed of flexible air impervious material having spaced transverse folds to provide a bellows, a head member closing one end of said body, an air operated motor mounted on said aesmva 7 head member and having a propeller shaft projecting axially of said body, a propeller fixed to said shaft, an air inlet to said motor communicating with the interior of said body, an exhaust outlet on said motor, a second head member closing the opposite end of said body, a second air operated motor mounted on said second head member and having a propeller shaft projecting axially of said body, a second propeller fixed to said last named shaft, an air inlet to said second motor communicating with the interior of said body, an exhaust outlet on said second motor and tension spring means connecting said head members to collapse said bellows and compress the air within said body to drive said motors and propellers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

